The debt, the duty and the hope of the citizen soldiers of America : a sermon addressed to the military of Frederick City, November 30th 1843, a day of public thanksgiving / by John Miller.

  • Miller, John, 1915-1966.
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The debt, the duty and the hope of the citizen soldiers of America : a sermon addressed to the military of Frederick City, November 30th 1843, a day of public thanksgiving / by John Miller. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    SERMON. Psalm 46: 8, 9. Come behold the works of the Lord;—He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he hreaketh the how and cutteth the spear in sunder; he hurneth the chariot in thefre.^* Citizen Soldiers : I hail you by an honorable tille. Military dress—the belt and the casque and the plume, are badges not always of such an order of men. The same audience, in every outward seeming, might be made of venal hirelings—foreign swords, sold like corn or bread, to risk lifp on any soil, and to fig-ht under any colors. I would try to teach them duty, but I would hurry over all preface in their praise. Even a regiment from our own tried army, though our countrymen—though not forced to fight, without the privilege of being at once patriots and soldiers, would be looked upon not at all with like feelings, and would be addressed with quite another spirit. Citizen Soldiers ! the title is itsell a eulogy ; men whose own fire-sides and well established business are at stake on hazard of war, and therefore, whose whole attitude of defence is one of deep personal interest and almost of necessary courage—the sturdy virtue and the hardy strength of a free country banded and waiting, without with- drawing pay from her treasury, or their labor from her fields, or shops, interrupting by none of the evils of a standing army, the full tide of her prosperity—waiting to do her good service, whenever our peace may be invaded. Who a better right to a greeting and a welcome, than the armed yeomany of states like ours? But let me hurry over, too, all preface in your praise. We are met to honor God to-day, not to waste our poor honors upon each other. I. A Soldier's Thanksgiving ;—that you have invited me to offer. How shall I offer it? My text seems to single out for me Peace as the gift to be acknowledged; but most unhappily, to more than half the world, peace ia no blessing. As to many a sister nation words that some of you saw we struck out from the text^ might have remained, **Come